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White Beach Festival sets stage for holiday

By: By Bill Charles

Date Posted: 2009-11-05

The U.S. Navy wants you to have a wonderful weekend. It wants you to visit White Beach and join in the festivities of its White Beach Festival, which runs Saturday and Sunday. Organizers say it’s the perfect way to get ready for Veterans Day holiday, which this year falls on Wednesday.

The festival opens Saturday at 1 p.m., and runs to 11 p.m. Sunday more of the same, with access to the base beginning at noon, festivities starting with Awkwards clown show at 1 p.m., and the festivities winding down by 10 p.m. The White Beach Festival is open to everyone, island wide.

While the public is invited, security officials advise visitors not to bring backpacks or large handbags or diaper bags. Those items will draw scrutiny from organizers and security personnel. Pets, carry-in food and drinks, and personal cooler-containers are also not welcome at the White Beach Festival.

For many, though, it’s the music that’s the big deal. And Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation agrees, noting there’ll be plenty of entertainment acts on stage across the festival. Entertainment will be nearly non-stop through the weekend as festival planners strive for visitors to have a good time. Clown Timmy will be at Kiddyland 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day, and Banana boat rides run until 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday’s on-stage action begins with Awkwards Clown Show at 1 p.m., followed by the Ke Aloha Polynesian Dancers at 2 p.m. Guitar soloist Lance Duncan goes on stage at 3:15 p.m., followed by Awkwards Clowns again at 5p.m. The Tenryu Daiko drum show starts at 6 p.m., and David Ralston belts out the blues on stage from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.

The Awkwards Clown Show opens Sunday’s entertainment at 1 p.m., with the Hispanic dance group Ballet Folklorico de Okinawa on stage at 2 p.m. Awkward Clowns, while technically for the kids but still lots of fun for adults, are regular performers at JUSCO and San A, off-base shopping centers.

Foods cover the world. There are vendor booths offering a variety of foods from countries throughout Asia, as well as American and South American entrees. Both dollars and yen will be accepted, and yen exchange services will be available at the White Beach Festival.